Questions For The British People.

[AZardoz]

What the heck are you people arguing about?
// Sajid Javid, a Home Secretary who swore his oath of political office on the Koran. //
Seriously !? And this was OK ? There's nothing more to discuss.
Your country is seriously screwed ... but Canada is trying very hard to catch up.

[dannyk13]

Naomi, it was his choice to swear on the Koran.I,by the way, am a non practising Christian and as policeman I swore on the bible a countless number of occasions.

[Spungle]

The Speaker is first, and then the PM etc:

Watch the last session been sworn in here (June 2017):

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5e7b64c4-a3a9-4a4c-b30e-e66bfe0ad24b?in=14:55:40

[hc4361]

danny, why did you choose not to affirm?

[Patsy33]

I haven't got room for anymore...

[dannyk13]

Because I am not an atheist.Although I no longer go to church I still consider myself a Christian.

[Patsy33]

^^^^
OMG! Lol...
Sorry, wrong thread!

[Spungle]

It's all here: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/swearingin/

[Old_Geezer]

He can swear it on a copy of the Beano if he wished as far as I'm concerned. It's just ceremony and meaningless. What has meaning is his obligation to fill the role properly. Unsure why you have an issue with it. Religious tolerance, wherever possible, is a good thing.

[Old_Geezer]

Practicing/non-practicing... who should give a guano ? For goodness sake ! Not everyone is an extreme religion type.

[Spungle]

Some members of the US Congress have been swearing their oath of allegiance on the Koran for years now.

In mid-November 2006 it was reported that Keith Ellison, the first Muslim ever elected to the United States Congress (as a representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district), would take his oath of office with his hand on the Qur'an. In reaction to the news, conservative media pundit Dennis Prager criticized the decision in his November 28, 2006, column titled "America, not Keith Ellison, decides what book a Congressman takes his oath on."
The column attracted national attention from supporters of both Ellison and Prager. Presented with the fact that all members of the House swear in (or affirm) en masse without the use of any religious text, and that such works are only used in ceremonial reenactments afterwards, Prager stated "that's the whole point: it's exactly because it's ceremonial that it matters." In response to a wave of criticism, Prager released another column on the topic on December 5, 2006, entitled "A response to my many critics—and a solution." In that column, Prager repeated the claim that no, or hardly any, officeholder in U.S. history had ever refused to take his oath on the Bible.
The controversy became more heated when Rep. Virgil Goode (R–VA) issued a letter to his constituents stating his view that Ellison's decision to use the Qur'an is a threat to "the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America...[and] if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran." Goode's foray into the controversy caused many other members of Congress to weigh in.
Ellison went on to use the English translation of the Qur'an owned by President Thomas Jefferson for the swearing-in ceremony!

[naomi24]

danny, Christianity isn't Islam ... accepted practices differ greatly.

[Old_Geezer]

Different practices are accepted by different groups or sub-groups. The fact that a non-practising Muslim swears on the Koran highlights the flaw in saying all Muslims after intend on invading the world and imposing the Koran and slaughtering all the infidels. Clearly some are almost reasonable !

[dannyk13]

Naomi, what has that got to do with swearing on the Koran? It is what is sworn that counts.

[naomi24]

Danny, //It is what is sworn that counts.//

Not to a Muslim. All Muslims are required to read the Koran, and abuse of the Koran is absolutely forbidden. If Sajid Javid used the book solely for that purpose he abused it. Despite what he says, he is a fully paid-up Musllm.

[dannyk13]

How on earth did he abuse the Koran by swearing on it? Please enlighten me.

[Rockrose]

//Despite what he says, he is a fully paid-up Musllm. //
Evidence?

[fiction-factory]

Should he perhaps have used the Bible then in order to avoid being accused of abusing the Koran? I'm surprised I've not heard some vocal Muslims up in arms about his apparent abuse of the Koran in this way.

[Rockrose]

I am sure tis because they all stick together against the evil persons who question them.

[dannyk13]

Just checked with my Muslim neighbour.It is not abuse to swear on the Koran.

[naomi24]

Danny, Because, as a non-practising Muslim - which he claims to be - he would have used the Koran solely for the purpose of swearing an oath, despite an alternative option being available. I don’t believe that, but I do know that the Koran is not a convenience and I don’t believe that any Muslim would treat it as such. Therefore, I am of the opinion that the book means rather more to him that he would have us believe. Just my opinion.